The last thing Leo remembered was the blinding flash of the truck's headlights. He had been crossing the street while mentally rewriting the Modern Family fanfic he had been planning for months, calculating exactly which episode he would insert his original character into. The irony didn't escape his dying consciousness—he was going to die thinking about a TV family he had never met.
But instead of eternal darkness, Leo found himself floating in an infinite white space, facing an entity that seemed like a cross between a hologram and a bored god.
"Leo Martínez, 17 years old, cause of death: narrative distraction," read the entity from an ethereal tablet. "You have accumulated points for obsessive-compulsive fandom of the series Modern Family."
"Points?" Leo managed to articulate, though he wasn't sure he had a mouth.
"985,743 points, to be exact. You have watched each episode 47 times, memorized dialogues, analyzed family dynamics, and written 234 unpublished fanfics."
Leo felt something akin to pride. "And does that count for anything here?"
"You have a choice," the entity continued, ignoring the question. "Proceed to the standard afterlife... or reincarnate into the Modern Family universe with a points system."
Leo's heart (or whatever was beating in that space) raced. "Like in those Chinese web novels I read?"
"Exactly. Your obsession will become your currency. The system will allow you to earn points by inserting yourself into the plot in ways that increase the entertainment value—comedy, drama, memorable moments. With those points, you can purchase knowledge and abilities."
"Abilities? Like what?"
"From 'Capacity to Understand Phil's Jokes' to 'Immunity to Claire's Glares' or even 'Ability to Dance Like Cameron.' Basic, intermediate, and advanced levels."
Leo didn't think twice. "I choose to reincarnate! But... can I choose when and where?"
The entity smiled (or something like it). "Your points allow for customization. 500,000 points: you reincarnate as a student the same age as Haley Dunphy in her same grade. 300,000 more: you retain your memories and knowledge of the series. 100,000: organic entry into the plot during the pilot."
"Do it!" shouted Leo, watching his points drop to 85,743.
"85,743 points will remain for your first purchase after reincarnation. Good luck, Leo—or rather... Liam."
"Liam?"
But he was already falling, spinning through a tunnel of light that strangely smelled like the cookies Claire always burned.
New Life – 1 Year Before the Pilot
Liam Parker opened his eyes in the body of a fifteen-year-old, in a room he didn't recognize but that his new memories told him was his. The first months were a disorienting dance between his memories as Leo (37 years old, web designer, obsessive fan) and those of Liam (teenager, average only child living with his mother in Los Angeles).
The strangest thing was the system. Floating at the edge of his vision, a discreet menu showed:
Plot Points: 85,743
Available Missions: 0
Next Plot Event: 724 days
He spent the first year learning to live as Liam. His mother, Susan, was a real estate agent who worked too much and compensated with gifts. Liam/Leo found a strange balance: the wisdom of an adult in a teenager's body, but with all the hormones and drama included.
At school, he saw Haley Dunphy from afar. The real Haley, not the actress, and it was strange to see a TV character as a real person. He noted that the casting had been incredibly accurate: Sarah Hyland and this Haley shared the same energy, the same way of laughing, the same gestures.
Liam deliberately kept to the shadows. He didn't want to interfere too soon. The system would only activate during plot events, and until then, he was just another student.
But the universe (or the writers) had other plans.